X-ray, chest (two views)
Facility: Kiowa County Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 71046 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71046
- Insurance Median: $187
- Cash Discount Price: $179
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.10x Medicare
Average discount available for prompt cash payment at this facility.
Median negotiated contract rate across all mapped commercial carriers.
Standard federal government reimbursement rate for this code.
Visual Cost Comparison vs. Medicare
Understanding this gauge: We use the federal Medicare rate of $88.91 as the cost baseline. Rates below the baseline represent excellent value. In-network commercial rates commonly hover around 150% - 250% of Medicare, while rates exceeding 300% are elevated. Hover over the green and blue markers to view detailed calculations.
Elevated Commercial Rate Alert (Value-Gap)
The negotiated rate at this facility is 210% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 110%). Patients with high-deductible plans or out-of-network benefits may face excessive out-of-pocket costs.
Out-of-Pocket Cost Estimator
Estimate whether it is more economical to use your insurance or pay the upfront self-pay cash rate.
Commercial Insurance Negotiated Rates
Negotiated contract ranges established by major commercial carriers at this facility.
| Carrier / Plan Group | Contract Rate Range | vs. Medicare Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $151 - $187 | 170% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $168 - $210 | 189% |
| Health Partners Of Ks-All Plans | $185 | 208% |
| Aetna | $187 | 210% |
| Celtic Comml Exchange-All Other Plans | $187 | 210% |
| Medica Prime Mcare Cost-All Plans | $187 | 210% |
| Humana | $187 | 210% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $210 | 236% |
| Providrs Care/Wppa-All Plans | $315 | 354% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71046, representing a chest X-ray with two views, Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg, KS, has a cash median price of $179.00, which is lower than the facility's gross charge of $210.00. While the hospital's negotiated rates for in-network payers like Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare range from $151 to $210, the cash price of $179.00 may be more cost-effective for patients with high-deductible plans or those without insurance, as it avoids the administrative markup inherent in insurance billing cycles. Patients should verify if their specific plan has a deductible that would otherwise result in a higher out-of-pocket cost than the cash rate, and they are encouraged to ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts that could further reduce the final amount owed.
This procedure's pricing is contextualized against the national benchmark, where the Medicare amount for this service is $88.91. The facility's cash rate of $179.00 represents a 2.1x markup relative to the Medicare rate, which is consistent with the typical range of 200% to 300% seen in commercial negotiations, though fair pricing standards often fall between 120% and 150% of the Medicare baseline. Because over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, patients receiving this service should request a detailed, itemized bill to ensure no unbundled charges or services not rendered are included, rather than accepting a summary invoice. If a balance bill arises from an out-of-network anc